The Secret to Perfect Pie Crust

I don't want to brag, but I grew up with incredible pie. My grandmother made the flakiest dough around, and she literally grew the rhubarb for her strawberry rhubarb pie.

So why have I never been able to replicate that crust? Luckily I went to Peetee's Pie Co to get the secrets. It starts with the right equipment and from there it's all about ingredients. So watch the video above to learn it all. Or just do the recipe below:

Combine sugar, salt, and hot water in small bowl and mix until dissolved. Place in freezer until ice cold but still liquid.

Sprinkle about 3/4 cup of pastry flour on the bottom of the food processor bowl, then set it up with the grater attachment. Pour contents of food processor and remaining flour into a cold metal bowl.

Use your fingers to toss flour over butter pieces and break up any larger chunks of butter. When butter pieces are coated in flour, sprinkle the cold sugar/salt/water mixture in. Lightly toss the mixture to spread it throughout. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of cold water over the mixture and toss to form a shaggy dough.

Compress the shaggy dough into two disks. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes. Bring back up to room temperature before rolling.

Sift flour onto clean surface. Roll dough to desired thickness- I like less than 1/4 inch. Transfer to pie dish and crimp or decorate as desired. This will make up to three 9” bottom crusts or one double crust pie with a little excess dough. By the way, excess pie crust can be turned into tasty “sugar scraps” but sprinkling with cinnamon sugar and baking on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees.